Horse Sport Psychology

The Mediterranean waters glistened below me. As I stood on the edge of the rockface contemplating the 25foot drop into the clear blue sea it felt like my body was screaming at me to not jump. My knees were shaking making my legs feel unsteady. My mind felt fuzzy and slightly disconnected from reality. I was more acutely scared than I had been in quite some time. But heres the thing I really wanted to jump. I was in Croatia and the sea was warm and inviting. I had watched about 10 people make the same leap quite safely and I knew rationally that it really wasnt that high. I was determined to push through my nerves and do it but in that moment I wasnt entirely sure my body would let me.

This experience reminded me that we can have goals that are very different from those we feel comfortable enough to accomplish. Through equestrian sport we seek challenging experiences that bring meaning and excitement into our lives yet those same experiences come with risk that we may not feel comfortable with. I wanted to jump off that rock but my body most certainly did not. In the past Ive wanted to get back on a horse that bucked me off the previous day but my body most certainly did not. Maybe you want to jump bigger jumps gallop faster ride new horses or simply pick up the canter and your body is not on board. How do we find the balance between listening to our bodies and keeping ourselves safe yet also taking on those rich and meaningful challenges and experiences that allow us to grow as riders and individuals?
The Two Types of Fear
Fear falls into two categories. The first rational fear is experienced in response to real danger